2005 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard
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Tasting notes
(15% alcohol; from white, rocky volcanic ash soil in a relatively early-ripening site): Bright red-ruby. Aromas of cassis, black cherry and licorice are lifted by mint and violet nuances. Very fine-grained and intense but a bit unforthcoming today, showing firm minerality to its tight, primary dark fruit flavors. With its solid spine of acidity and tannins, there's little in the way of easy sweetness of fleshiness here. But this rather clenched wine is still extremely young and likely eventually to merit an even higher rating.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana is fabulous. Notes of charcoal, graphite, blackberry and blueberry fruit, along with white flowers and crushed rock are all present in this fabulous, full-bodied, beautifully textured and expansive wine. It seems to have come into its plateau of full maturity, where it should last at least another two decades. I don’t ever remember being this impressed with this particular cuvée, but it knocked me out at age ten.
Good full ruby-red. Musky aromas of dark cherry, coffee, tobacco and loam. Sweet, lush and fine-grained, with lovely elegance and life to the flavors of cherry and coffee. Harmonious acidity really extends and lifts the fruit on the back end, which features very suave tannins and outstanding persistence. This goes a step beyond the very good 2004. Jess Jackson notes that this site, on volcanic ash soil, ripens a full two weeks earlier than the Helena Dakota, which is planted on soil rich in iron and clay.
Ruby-red. Subdued, reticent aromas of cassis, licorice, minerals and musky dark chocolate. Broad, large-scaled and dry but less filled in than the Dakota and showing less personality today. There's good material here but today the wine's substantial tannins cut off the fruit. And this wine was slightly de-acidified, noted co-owner Barbara Banke.